|
|
|
General Forum: Information Technology | | Why you should treat co-workers like customers | |
| Cine boss style
Posted by: Mr. M Kumar N At: 29, Aug 2003 10:10:52 AM IST
Because you are doing internal businees.
Posted by: Mr. M Kumar N At: 29, Aug 2003 9:53:17 AM IST
Why you should treat co-workers like customers
If you're the boss, you should treat your employees just like you would treat your customers.
If you're an employee, you should do the same with the person who signs your checks.
I know what you are saying. This sounds like just another New Age-y, smoke-and-mirrors business gimmick, destined to have the staying power of a marriage to Jennifer Lopez.
But treating others you work with as though they were customers does, in fact, make a world of plausible, common sense. It's a rationale that can ultimately craft a smoother running, more profitable operation.
Here are eight ideas on how a more "customer-focused" attitude toward your co-workers can help your business and your career.
Your employees are a reflection. The people who work for you are not soulless drones — their attitude lets others know in vivid terms how they feel about their jobs. If you approach your employees as you would customers — with the courtesy and respect that implies — that attitude will reappear further down the line. "Your employees really do reflect your business," says Marcia Layton Turner, author of "How to Think Like the World's Greatest New Media Moguls." "You want the image that your employees are proud to work for you. If they don't feel good about the company, that's going to come across to others."
Show them appreciation, just as you would a loyal customer, and they will stay with you. I recently wrote a column about loyalty rewards programs for customers. Like a client who keeps coming through your door, don't forget to let solid employees know that you value their participation and effort. An encouraging word is great, but tangible rewards are even better: Make sure your compensation package is competitive, establish a bonus program and cultivate an environment where your employees know their efforts to build your business are intrinsic to your success as well as their own. (For more on this point, see this special report.)
Talk isn't cheap. Not long ago, an NFL coach's wife learned her husband had been canned. Trouble was, she got the news from a radio show. That sort of communication misstep can be devastating, particularly in a small business. So take steps to make certain it never happens. Just as you would ask a customer what she likes and why, talk with your employees regularly. Solicit feedback and keep them up to date on any new products, services or procedures. "They need to know things before anyone else does," Turner says. "They also need to feel that it's important that they're told things before others know them."
Be forthright if things aren't working out. If you have a customer who's bounced several checks in a row, diplomacy and common sense mandate that you politely ask him or her to take their business elsewhere. Take a similar tack with an employee who, for whatever reason, isn't performing up to the level you expect. Don't be shy about letting a substandard employee go. By the same token, make the break as politic as possible. "For lack of a better way of putting it, you have to fire someone as nicely as possible," Turner says. "Help them find a new job, offer references and really try to have them leave on good terms. A disgruntled former employee simply isn't good advertising."
If you're the employee, ask. One of the easiest ways to deliver what a customer wants is to ask what she expects. As an employee, it's just as critical to get a detailed sense of what your job entails. "Find out your employer's expectations and live up to them. If, for instance, you're to spend 50% of your time on the phone soliciting new customers, make sure you do just that," Turner says.
Act, don't just react. Many a customer will tell you that a memorable business experience mandates going beyond what you expect. The same dynamic holds true for an employee — while it's essential to meet whatever responsibilities your job requires, take your involvement a step further. "Check in with your boss periodically to see how you can help the business grow. Being proactive can really impress your employer," Turner says.
Don't be afraid to say no. Many of us have encountered salespeople who, happily for us, were blunt enough to say that a particular shirt or sweater was rather unsuitable. Any responsive, mature employer will genuinely appreciate employees who are equally forthright. "A good boss doesn't want to be surrounded by yes-men or yes-women," Turner says. "She'll also know that you might know your customers better than she does. Suggest other approaches. Point out solutions, not just problems."
Above all, execute, and satisfy your boss as you would any customer. Here's the line of demarcation that separates a genuinely involved employee from another who just wants to kiss up. Like a customer who values a business that does what it promises, make sure that you walk the talk. Follow through on what you tell your boss you plan to do and leave the lame lip service to others. "You've got to follow through on whatever you say you're going to do," just as with any customer, Turner says. "If you're just trying to make yourself look good, chances are that you'll try to pawn that work off on someone else."
Jeff Wuorio is an award-winning writer and columnist, and is the author of "The CNBC Guide to Money and Markets."
Posted by: Mr. M.S.Reddy At: 29, Aug 2003 8:49:19 AM IST
| |
|
|
|
| Advertisements |
|
|
|
|
| Advertisements |
|
